Cell Lead / Production Manager - Danville, VA

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Please apply by the 9th of November 2025

Cell Lead / Production Manager

Purpose:

The Cell Lead is essential to managing daily operations in a leaf processing cell, ensuring tobacco-packed products meet quality standards and optimizing production to achieve departmental KPIs. This role involves overseeing safety, quality, throughput, downtime, volume, and yield, while being responsible for the cell’s performance 24/7. The Cell Lead also focuses on team development, implementing integrated work system (IWS) standards, and maintaining effective communication between factory management and direct reports.

Responsibilities:

• Cell Results Accountability: Responsible for 24-hour, multi-shift performance of the cell, ensuring excellence in safety, quality, throughput, downtime, volume, and yield. Maintains full accountability for achieving operational targets and driving continuous improvement.
• Action Planning: Collaborates with the Cell Team to develop short-term (24-hour) and mid-term (up to 90 days) action plans. Sets clear priorities and allocates resources effectively to support execution and deliver results aligned with business objectives.
• Daily Management Systems (DMS): Establishes, sustains, and continuously improves the effectiveness of Daily Management Systems (DMS) and associated tools within the cell. Leads Daily Direction Setting (DDS), owns the Cell DDS process, and ensures timely follow-up and execution of DDS findings
• Environment, Health & Safety (EHS): Ensures full compliance with JTI safety standards and procedures in all daily operations. Identifies hazards, assesses risks, and implements control measures to maintain a safe and healthy work environment. Guarantees that all employees are properly trained and qualified to perform their duties safely. Demonstrates a proactive commitment to safety by addressing unsafe conditions or behaviors immediately and fostering a culture of safety awareness and accountability. Knows legal and JTI health and safety requirements related to workplace hazards, observes all applicable health and safety norms and procedures, and ensures conformity in relation to these. Actively demonstrates a commitment to health and safety and takes immediate measures to correct unsafe working conditions or behaviors. Ensures that employees consistently demonstrate safe behavior, do not infringe on health and safety norms, and report accidents and incidents to remove identified unsafe conditions and behaviors.
• People Management: Leads recruitment, motivation, and professional development of direct and indirect reports. Builds a self-sufficient Cell Team capable of delivering consistent results across all shifts. Coach team members in alignment with IWS (Integrated Work System) principles, ensuring the methodology is embedded, practiced daily, and contributes to achieving operational goals.

Requirements:

• Bachelor's Degree in Engineering or Business Administration, or 10 years of experience in the tobacco industry.
• Minimum experience of 5 years in the function in the area of tobacco processing and preferably experience in any position of supervision of people, preferably as Supervisor of Production and Maintenance; knowledge in problem-solving methods, root cause analysis, statistical process control, and ISO standards.
• Fluency in English, with excellent written and oral skills. Appropriate communication skills with internal and external individuals. Common skills in PC (MS Office applications), SAP, and preferred knowledge in production planning process, budget preparation, and planning and maintenance processes.
• Management skills, such as leading and mentoring people. Demonstrate excellent leadership skills and the ability to talk in public. Capable of working in a diversified team environment, to manage multiple tasks on time and with proactivity.  Good understanding of FCV and Burley tobacco leaf characteristics. Knowledge of machine building, machine maintenance, all functions of particular parts, and their cross-dependencies.

What are the next steps – Recruitment process:

Thank you very much for your interest in the role. You are welcome to apply.

Are you ready to join us? Build your success story at JTI. Apply now

Next Steps:

After applying, if selected, please anticipate the following within 1-3 weeks of the job posting closure: Phone screening with Talent Advisor > Assessment tests > Interviews > Offer. Each step is eliminatory and may vary by role type.

At JTI, we strive to create a diverse and inclusive work environment. As an equal-opportunity employer, we welcome applicants from all backgrounds. If you need any specific support, alternative formats, or have other access requirements, please let us know.